Campfire – the National Centre for Farmer Health’s digital meeting place for issues on the land – will now be available for listeners at any time.
NCFH Director, Dr Alison Kennedy says the Campfire series is expanding its podcast-based format starting late May.
She says the switch will maximise opportunities for farmers, farm workers and farming families to ‘plug in’ and listen anytime – maybe on a drive to a sale, in the shearing shed, in the tractor, relaxing at night or even last thing in bed before turning out the light – as long as it doesn’t compromise their safety.
“While our initial Campfire foray into podcasting has been a feature alongside some of our fortnightly scheduled online Q&A sessions, we have come to realise with all the cyberspace options available today, people love being able to access content at a time and place that works for them,” Dr Kennedy explained.
“That’s the feedback we have been receiving from participants so now our podcast conversations will be released fortnightly across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor, and the Farmer Health website,” she says.
“Making a much wider range of content so much more accessible.”
“Each podcast episode profiles a topic-relevant expert who explores how work-related factors can positively or negatively affect stress experienced by farmers and their employees.”
“We also look at how practical action can be taken to build a mentally-healthy workplace (which will also include handy links to further information and resources).”
Dr Kennedy says not only are podcast speakers topic experts, many of them are also farming experts, with irreplaceable “lived experience grappling with the issue at hand”.
She says the focus is on the prevention of stress and poor mental health and addressing the many factors which affect that – from the glaringly obvious to the more insidious, which can strike unexpectedly.
“You only have to look at some of the subjects we have covered to date, such as working effectively in a family business and strengthening your support team through to healthy ageing on the farm and strategies for preventing bullying in farm workplaces,” Dr Kennedy added.
“Every Campfire topic already presented will be available via our podcast library and that catalogue will be boosted by some of the topics already organised for the weeks ahead,” she says.
“Some of those are immediately topical, as they have been in the headlines lately, such as preventing crime on farm, from stock theft to machinery, equipment and firearms.
“Our soon to be released Campfire podcasts will also be taking a look at rural resilience and disaster prevention and learning how to not let your bias limit your farming potential.”
Find out more about being mentally safe on farm at www.farmerhealth.org.au/campfire.
This media release is part of the Primary Producer Knowledge Network led by the National Centre for Farmer Health to promote mentally healthy workplaces. Campfire, part of The Primary Producer Knowledge Network, is funded by the Victorian State Governments WorkSafe WorkWell Mental Health Improvement Fund.
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